Rethinking Merit In The AI Age: Is UPSC A Relic Of The Past?

In a bold critique that has sent shockwaves through India’s aspirational youth and education establishment, Sanjeev Sanyal, member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council, has labeled the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, a gateway to the country’s most coveted civil service jobs, as a ‘complete waste of time’ in the era of artificial intelligence.

Speaking at a recent discussion on the future of work, Sanyal stated that pursuing UPSC solely for job security is outdated. He explained that AI outperforms traditional systems in delivering knowledge and efficiency.

The remarks, delivered amid a global reckoning with AI’s disruptive potential, have ignited a firestorm of debate. For millions of Indian students who invest years (and fortunes) in UPSC preparation, Sanyal’s words feel like a gut punch.

Yet, for reformers eyeing a skills-driven economy, they represent a long-overdue wake-up call.

As India hurtles toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy by 2030, the question looms larger than ever. Is the nation’s vaunted meritocracy system, rooted in rote learning and endurance tests, still fit for purpose?

The UPSC Civil Services Examination is no ordinary test. It’s a gruelling triathlon of intellect and stamina: prelims, mains, and a personality interview.

The process sifts through more than a million applicants each year. Only around 1,000 positions are available in the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, and other elite cadres.

It was born in the post-independence era to build a neutral, competent bureaucracy free from colonial favouritism. Over time, it has come to symbolise social mobility.

A success story can catapult a rural underdog into the corridors of power, offering lifetime job security, prestige, and a platform for public service.

But Sanyal argues this model is cracking under modern realities.

‘AI is vastly superior’ at lecturing and knowledge dissemination, he said, rendering university-style cramming obsolete.

In a video interview that has racked up thousands of views, he further highlighted the changing landscape of learning.

“Why should students spend years memorising facts when AI tools like advanced tutors can personalise learning at lightning speed?” he asked

He extended the critique to degrees broadly, calling rigid, lecture-based higher education a mismatch for jobs that evolve every few years.

“There is a collapse between the idea of education and the idea of skilling,” Sanyal further noted, urging a pivot to apprenticeships, early workforce entry, and modular AI-enabled courses.

Sanyal isn’t alone in this view. He invoked icons like Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu and Tesla’s Elon Musk.

These self-made titans bypassed traditional credentials to prioritise problem-solving and adaptability.

In India, the coaching industry for UPSC alone is worth billions. His call, however, echoes a growing chorus against the ‘exam lottery’ culture that funnels talent into narrow bureaucratic paths.

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